ISLAMABAD: Reacting to the allegations levelled by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari against the prime minister, federal ministers Murad Saeed and Shibli Faraz on Monday advised him not to talk “nonsense” but answer questions about corruption committed by his family.

Communications Minister Murad Saeed challenged the PPP chief to face him in parliament or in a TV talk show or at a public meeting.

“Let us debate anywhere any topic of your choice but you have to listen to me till the end,” the minister said.

He said the main reason behind Bilawal’s fiery press conference was a recent report of a joint investigation team which had exposed PPP leadership’s links with Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch.

The minister said Bilawal did not know politics because he came into politics without any struggle.

He said the PPP leadership was involved in the worst kind of corruption, while no one could level any allegation of corruption against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Shibli Faraz said in a video statement that Mr Bhutto-Zardari was frustrated as he did not have any political agenda and his press conference was its manifestation.

He condemned the PPP chairman for using derogatory language against the prime minister and his sister.

Mr Faraz said PM’s sister should not be dragged into politics because she had nothing to do with the government. “The use of such kind of language about a woman is a very despicable act,” he remarked.

He said Bilawal should be the last person to accuse the prime minister of committing corruption as no one called Imran Khan “Mr 10 per cent”.

“We strongly condemn Bilawal’s allegations. He should not say such things. He was either asleep or ignorant of the ground realities,” the minister maintained.

He said Bilawal, whose family had confined one big party of the past to Larkana district only, had made a joke of himself by saying such frivolous things.

The PPP chairman should have thought 10 times before accusing Imran Khan of corruption, he added.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2020